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Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Let us all watch your new project progress.
Greg Smith
Posts: 130
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 00:20

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Greg Smith »

I'm having second thoughts about covering. Does anyone know if Oratex is a good match for Solartex? (probably natural or antique). Where might be the best place to order a sample in the UK? Thanks, guys.
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Peter Balcombe
Posts: 1399
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Peter Balcombe »

Greg,
No idea what Oratex is like, although it seems to have been used on full size aircraft, so should be good stuff.
I see that both Steve Webb and the Sussex Model Centre seem to stock it.
Approx. £25 per 2m roll, so about 50% dearer than Solartex.
Greg Smith
Posts: 130
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 00:20

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Greg Smith »

Because I have already covered the tailplane and fin with Solartex, I have to find out if it's a match and if it has an adhesive already on it. I bought some Stits light over here, but I have no confidence that I can use it well on a first go. Solartex was sooo easy to use. I'll try Sussex model centre. Thanks, Peter. Has no-one used Oratex yet? Should I post in a different section?
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Peter Balcombe
Posts: 1399
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Peter Balcombe »

Greg,
Just spotted that Airtek hobbies (www.airtekhobbies.com) advertise Oratex at £19.95 per 2m roll, which is a lot cheaper than Sussex Model Centre.
Greg Smith
Posts: 130
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 00:20

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Greg Smith »

I finished the port wing! A long hiatus, because I just wasn't happy with the work I had done, and, frankly, didn't want to go into the workshop to confront my inadequacies. I have long thought about writing a post about the psychology of tackling a project like this, but what always came to mind was the thought that I might be the only one in the place who thinks he's Napoleon... Nevertheless, I was encouraged by another member's post which indicated that he had spent a long time on bringing the wing structure up to level ready for covering, and managed to come to terms with what I had already done. Because I'd opted for pin hinges on the aileron, I also realised that I would have to fit the covered aileron in position before covering the main wing (or at least, leave the top or bottom uncovered, then fit the aileron, to have access to the hinges, then cover the remaining side). I wasn't happy about that. So what I tend to do is to think ahead to some imaginary snag, not necessarily see a way round it, get fed up and go and practice guitar instead! Thus the long building time. I also divert to easier projects, like refurbishing a big P-51 sloper which has been sitting around for many years.
Anyway, I put some good music on the stereo - soothing classical is best - and got down to all the exact measuring, cutting and sanding required and found, as usual, that the difficulty was not as great as I'd imagined. Because of the price of thin plywood over here, I used 1/16" balsa for much of the wing sheeting, so that caused more work too, having to match it to the plywood rib capping strips and the ply inner wing sheeting.
I feel better prepared for building the second wing, even though the early stages of the first are far enough away for me to be puzzled about some things. I am being very careful about all my measurements now, to save correction time later, and already have the spoiler and joiner box done, having made them as I made the first wing, so that should help things along.
Oh, but I look at my latest RCM&E and think how much I'd like to build something else, with a whole different set of challenges. And I shudder to contemplate flying this craft for the first time: perhaps I'll just hang it up in the living room, since I don't have a nice grass-covered slope site or a skilled tow pilot???
Will try to post a picture or two: I know you all can't wait!
Greg Smith
Posts: 130
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 00:20

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Greg Smith »

Oh, and thanks for the heads up, Peter. I sent off for the Oratex without seeing your advice, but I have it now. It became available over here at about half the price, after it was sent from England! But the advantage of being a slow builder is that the expense is spread out to where I remain unaware of the total cost of this project, and aim to keep it that way.
Greg Smith
Posts: 130
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 00:20

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Greg Smith »

Ha! So looking again at what will be the starboard wing, I see something I completely missed on the first one: between wing ribs 12 and 14 the auxiliary spar changes angle very slightly! There is a splice shown on the plan at this point... I saw this only because I put my big straightedge along the spar preparatory to drawing the spar on the reverse side of the paper. So I guess the wings will be slightly different?! Don't tell anyone. Oh, the mainspars and the T.E. are straight.I hope the rib slots take account of this: I probably widened them to compensate on the first wing without thinking why I might have to be doing that. You can laugh: I'm too far away to hear you.
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Peter Balcombe
Posts: 1399
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Peter Balcombe »

Greg, many wooded have slight differences between the two sides due to different amounts of ‘fettling’ needed, particularly if building from hand drawn plans.
No one will be able to tell the difference anyway, & as long as each wing is outwardly the same & has the same weight then it shouldn’t make any difference to the flying characteristics.
Keep up the good work. Nearly there!
Greg Smith
Posts: 130
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 00:20

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Greg Smith »

Good to hear from you, Peter, and thanks for the encouraging words. No-one else here does big gliders, so you fellows are my club.
Greg Smith
Posts: 130
Joined: 26 Jan 2016, 00:20

Re: Cliff Charlesworth Olympia build in Bishop, CA.

Post by Greg Smith »

Working very slowly on the starboard wing. Checked the L.E. aileron piece for flatness: all good. Checked the 1/8" longerons for flatness: good. Glued one to t'other: no longer flat! Guess the glue contracted unevenly... Built up to flat again with 1/16" sheet sanded to flat. This is because my first aileron works, but does not roll in the shroud quite as smoothly as I'd like. The other thing which is critical, of course, is to carve/sand the L.E.cross-section of the aileron to a perfectly straight high point. Hmmm. So I marked the center of the L.E. with the calipers and a pencil line, then stuck a piece of masking tape along the line, and checked for straightness again. Then I marked with a Sharpie along that tape, ;leaving a clear black line which must remain after shaping. Hopefully this will mean that the aileron moves smoothly and consistently around the implicit centre of the L.E.'s half-circle. We'll see whether this is enough to produce a better result than my port aileron. I've learned much about thinking ahead, and trying to understand what has to be super-accurate to produce an adequate result! Usually it means being in the right state of mind and going slowly. I can really understand now how experience with these big models would pay off over a number of builds. This first one has been one difficulty after another, even after all the great help I've had from the club (online). I think I would enjoy the next build more as well, because of the increased confidence in knowing how things are done with this type of model. My first glider, built at fourteen, was a KK Caprice, and it flew very well, until a jealous 'friend' tied the line to the towhook!
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